ATLANTA-Playing an 18-game league schedule, Georgia State announced its 2017-18 Sun Belt Conference schedule on Thursday morning. The identical schedule for both the men and women's teams opens on the road Dec. 29 and closes at home on March 3.

Head coach Ron Hunter led the Panthers to another 20-win season last year and a fourth postseason appearance in six years. Georgia State returns three starters after finishing in the top two of the Sun Belt standings for the third time in four years.

On the women's side, head coach Sharon Baldwin begins her eighth year at the helm of the Panthers. Georgia State won 12 games, including a stretch of five of six in the middle of Sun Belt play and have a talented group of newcomers entering the mix this season.

Games times of all Georgia State doubleheaders will be announced at a later date.

Both squads will open the conference portion of the schedule on the road at South Alabama, followed by a road game at Troy on New Year's Eve.

The conference home opener will be against Little Rock on Jan. 4, followed by a match-up in the GSU Sports Arena with Arkansas State two days later (Jan. 6).

The Panthers will return to the road to face Appalachian State (Jan. 11) and Coastal Carolina (Jan. 13) in the only match-ups with the two schools during the regular season.

Georgia State will host in-state rival Georgia Southern on Jan. 20, before heading to Statesboro to face the Eagles on Feb. 17.

The Lone Star State will be represented in the GSU Sports Arena on Jan. 25 (UT Arlington) and Jan. 27 (Texas State). After not playing in Texas last year, the Panthers will travel west Feb. 22 (Texas State) and Feb. 24 (UT Arlington).

The Panthers will open February traveling to Arkansas State on Feb. 1 and then Little Rock on Feb. 3. GSU then comes home to face Louisiana (Feb. 8) and UL Monroe (Feb. 10) in the only match-ups with those two schools during the 2017-18 year.

The Sun Belt schedule will come to a close as the Panthers host Troy on March 1 and South Alabama for Senior Day on March 3.

The Sun Belt Championship will return to New Orleans in March. The women's tournament begins on March 6 with the championship game scheduled for Sun., March 11, while the men open the championship on March 7. All 12 teams will once again qualify for the championship with the top four teams on each side earning a first round bye.

Season tickets for the upcoming season are now on sale. Fans can visit GeorgiaStateSports.com or call 404-413-4020 to purchase.